I've connected a USB to Centronics/Parallel adapter cable to my Raspberry Pi running as WTware client and configured it to work as a printserver (printer = USB) with an old dot-matrix printer (Fujitsu DL9300). Have some issues with it:

- Printer doesn't initialize when switched on. (Normally rollers/printhead move and LEDs are flashing.) Printer is offline, no reaction to buttons.- That's why I cannot load paper - have to switch the printer off, disconnect the adpter, switch on and reconnect. - Mostly testpages are not printed. Jobs are stuck in the printers queue. They disappear when I disconnect the adapters USB plug.- When printing works, it is very slow, printing line by line taking about one minute (normally 10-15 Seconds).- Once working i could send multiple printjobs and feed paper as normal.(This printer is a form printer - it is offline/inactive when no Paper is loaded. Loading a form makes it going online/active and starting pending printjob. Finished page is ejected automatically. Printer waits offline for new form to be loaded.)

The USB2LPT adapter cable is a cheap noname, but works perfekt when I connect it directly to a Windows PC using the same printer.Configured it according to the description (http://wtware.com/docs5/printer.html) - static IP, disabled bidirectional support.Tried to configure Pi as printserver only - it works with the same issues described above.Tried to configure RDP printer redirection. It works fine - but the printer can't be used by other users than the one working on this Pi client.

Does anyone have experience with this? How can I get a stable, fast printer connection available to all of my Pi WTware clients?

Gnome wrote:Tried to configure RDP printer redirection. It works fine - but the printer can't be used by other users than the one working on this Pi client.

It works fine when configured with "rdp_printer=" option in wtware config? If so, hardware works well.

WTware just sends bytes from network to usb device, and does it very similar in both cases, "printer=" and "rdp_priter=". Looks like windows drivers acts incorrect with printserver. Try to uncheck "bidirection" checkbox in windows printer settings when it configured with "printer=". If it will not help, I have no more ideas

Tried it again on another Pi WTware client using the USB-to-parallel adapter but this time a laserprinter (Kyocera FS 1030D). Same issues.

RDP printer redirection (rdp-printer=) works perfect/fast.

Printserver mode (printer=usb) is slow again. I tried different drivers - depending on driver the amount of data sent to the client/printserver varies from 37 to 150 kb. Printing time is 1 to 3 minutes. (Bidi mode activated causes print failure)

The FS 1030D also has a USB port. I connected the Pi WTware client directly to it using printer=USB - and it works fast/perfect!

So the problem seems to be related with the way RDP-printer and printserver communicate with the USB port respectively the USB-to-parallel adapter. Are there any differences that may explain that behaviour?

It's a undocumented workaround for very slow printer on USB2Parallel adapter. I forgot about it.

Windows sent bytes to WTware. A lot of bytes, if user sent large printing task. WTware sent bytes to usb (wrote to linux usb printer driver, linux usb printer driver sent bytes to linux usb driver, and linux usb driver sent bytes to usb wire). usb2parallel convert to lpt and send to printer. Printer print.

USB printer told linux usb driver "too many data, please wait" and it waits. USB2Parallel adapter does not. If there are too many bytes, more then printer memory buffer, bytes become lost.

The laser printer works perfect now.Also the dot matrix is fast, but it still has problems with reset status. Printer doesn't work until the cable is disconnected to have a reset and then connected again.I will try other cables - perhaps its a poor implementation of the adapters parallel printer protocol.I will let you know the results...

Not adding anything useful to this discussion, but these old paralell printers can be a real pain the in a**! I still have to maintain some working here, and they suck. We have to stick around to some XP workstations because of them. But soon enough they'll all be gone since we're implementing all digital doc-e system. Can't wait for that to happen, we will just need a couple of network printers every other working area then...

Having some issues with my printers connected to a Raspberry Pi running WTware I tried different cables and found one that works with all of my printers. I tried all cables on my old dotmatrix printer (Fujitsu DL 9300), a old laser (Kyocera FS-1030) and a lableprinter (Toshiba TEC B-SX4T). The Laser has a parralel AND a USB port - so the adapter wasn't necessary. I just tried it to see if it works.

The best adapter cable wasUGREEN USB to IEEE1284 Parallel Printer Cable, 3 meter, Model No.: 30228http://www.ugreen.com.cn/product-639-en.htmlIt works perfectly with my three printers. Bought it at amazon's for 13 € (and just ordered 3 more .

Attention:Model No.: 30228 - there may be older cables with model no 20225 - I don't know if they work.There's also a 1m-cable model no 30226 and a 2 meter model 20224 (the last may be a old one,regarding the number)However, the model 30228, 3 meter, works perfect.